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300 church mortgages threatened Church finance plan said near collapse SALEM, Ore. (UPI) — State investigators are probing an 111 million church financing plan that is near collapse in Oregon, UPI has learned, threatening the mortgages of 300 churches around the nation. Also threatened are the investments of about 7,000 church members, according to court documents. The Oregon Corporation Commission, which regulates securities sales in the state, has filed suit in Marion County Circuit Court in Salem against the operators of the program, headed by a Salem minister. Two other civil lawsuits also have been filed naming the Rev. Atwood Foster, president and chief operating officer of Church Service Programs, a nonprofit Oregon corporation; and Continental Securities Corp. The Marion County Court Monday issued an injunction prohibiting the corporations from further investments. Healy’s suit alleged some of the money was used to “invest in speculative loans and investments unrelated to church financing or any religious purpose." The other two suits were filed in the Multnomah County, Ore., court and in Oregon’s federal district court by a group of chiropractors who sought financing for a school BAI LYNEWS Higher beef prices Cattlemen disagree on the cause of it Dr. 0. E. Sell, president of the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association, said Monday the price of supermarket beef in most parts of the state will remain high until feed prices come down. Sell disputed a claim by the American National Cattlemen’s Association in Denver that ranchers are withholding cattle from the markets to fatten them on new grass. The national association, in its April market survey of 19 selected cities, showed the average price of five represen tative cuts of beef was $1.34 per pound, compared to $1.27 in March. “Grain prices have been so high throughout the year and feed lot operators lost so much money that they kept the cattle off the market,” said Sell. “It’s going to take lower feed prices (to drive down the cost of beef),” he said. “Feed prices have come down some but they are still up. Sell said the number of feed lot cattle being shipped to slaughterhouses “is not much above 60 per cent capacity. It • <r- jHMI Bra ell C Be- 1 •- < f W"’" > i > B < .. r - or wbi HOUSTON—The Rev. Austin Wilkerson (1) carries out a marriage ceremony for diving school owner Joe Jordan and Roberta Fry (r) while the couple hold up signs stating their intensions. The two were married Sunday in a diving tank while wearing scuba gear. (UPI) GRIFFIN looks like there is a good grain crop coming in, but until that time we will have a high price on beef.” He said “quite a few” feed lot operators, including some in Georgia, went bankrupt be cause of the high prices for feed such as milo, corn and grain. Sell took issue with a statement issued by Gordon Van Vleck, president of the American National Cattlemen’s Association, that ranchers were withholding cattle from mar kets to fatten them on spring grass. “It’s nothing that anybody has been withholding,” said Sell. “The feed lot operators have just been losing too much money lately.” But Sell agreed with the national association’s finding in its April market survey that the average price of beef reached a peak of $1.40 per pound or more in cities such as New York, Portland, Atlanta, Baltimore, Detroit, Omaha and Washing ton, D.C. of chiropractry through Foster’s corporations. Those suits alleged that Foster diverted corporate funds for other investments. Foster and his wife were reported to be vacationing in Arizona, and could not be reached for comment. Church Service Programs and Continental Securities were founded by Foster about 10 years ago for nationwide church financing purposes. The two firms are now in a combination of receiverships and trusteeships. The Multnomah County Court has also enjoined Foster from disposing of any property. Thomas Higashi, appointed trustee for the corporations by the Marion County Circuit Court, said in a report filed with the court that church mortgages, put up as collateral for loans arranged by Foster or the corporations, are now in default. The total value of the mortgages, most of them held by the American Guaranty Life Insurance Co., is estimated at about $3 million, Higashi said. Also in default, Higashi said, are about $950,000 in unsecured promissory notes made to Foster’s corporations by about 140 church members. “I also expect (the price) to continue upward because there are fewer finished cattle on the market,” he said. Sell added that the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association planned selective direct-to-con sumer sales of ground beef this month similar to the statewide sales that were conducted on a statewide level by various chapters of the association during the first weekend of April. “There are a few individual associations that may have a second ground beef sale this month and there may be several that will have some later,” he said. “I cannot tell you now who they are or where they will be.” The statewide sale brought “a tremendous response” and many chapters in large met ropolitan areas such as Atlanta exhausted their beef quotas in short order, said Sell. The chapters took orders for six pound packages of ground beef at $4 per package to stimulate the sale of surplus meat. S6OO-million promised MARTA ATLANTA (UPI) - The U.S. Urban Mass Transit Adminis- [ Aid sought for Miller farmers ATLANTA (UPI) - Eighty per cent of the farmers in Miller County were affected by excessive rainfall and a tornado April 10 and their land should be declared an agriculture disaster, Gov. George Busbee said in a letter released Monday. Busbee, who is touring Mexico on a trade mission, asked Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz to declare Miller County in southeast Georgia an agriculture disaster area due to rains, flooding and a tornado. Busbee told Butz that 290 of the county’s 365 farmers were affected by the excessive rainfall and tornado. The storm damaged 55,000 acres, or 55 per cent, of county land under cultivation. Peanuts, corn and field peas are principal crops of the rural county. County agents said the major damage was the washing away of seeds and chemicals in already-prepared fields that will have to be replanted. County agent Bill Inglett said the expense of replanting, in addition to constantly increas ing production costs, will require additional funds for many farmers to continue operation in 1975. About 80 agriculture emergency loans are expected to be requested. “Your approval of this request will be appreciated by the state of Georgia, and will help the farmers in this area to recover from this disaster,” Busbee said in the letter. Sanders named to GAB post ATLANTA (UPI) - Bert H. Hatch will yield his post as executive director of the Georgia Association of Broad casters (GAB) to William G. Sanders on June 10 and return to the Episcopal ministry. Sanders, 32, comes to the GAB from his previous position as executive secretary of the Georgia Egg Commission. A native of Hartwell, Sanders is a graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Gerogia. During college, he served his internship at WSB Radio in Atlanta. After graudation he joined the staff of WDUN in Gainesville, where he served for (P/z years as news director and as operations manager. He became executive secretary of the Georgia Egg Commission in 1972. Hatch, who was a minister for seven years, will become rector of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Dalton. He has been an inactive minister for the past 12 years. LONE DISSENTER ERIE, Pa. (UPI) - Only one of the three barbers in Terry Etzel’s Barber Shop refuses to go along with the new service being offered. The new service is shaving women’s legs, and the lone dissenter is a women, Ruth Bonnell, who said she “won’t even consider shaving a guy’s leg.” In addition, as much as $8 million may be owed to about 7,000 church members who hold certificates for pledges they made to help finance building programs for their churches, according to figures compiled in the report. The pledges were also used as collateral to secure loans for church construction or remodeling. In effect, the congregation put up the money on a long term loan basis to help their churches. The pledges, mostly for SI,OOO, were to be paid back in 25 years at 1% times their original value. Foster’s corporation purchased life insurance policies on each congregation member who pledged money via the certificate program. The policies were then used as collateral to secure the church loans. The life insurance company thus holds the insurance policies, now in default, and most of the mortgages, also in default. Foster invested the cash values accrued on the life insurance policies in ventures intended to earn a return high enough to keep the plan afloat, according to Higashi’s report. But, according to Healy’s lawsuit, the investments did not earn the return expected. tration has committed S6OO million to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority to build the city’s $2.1 billion rapid rail system. Alan F. Kiepper, general manager of MARTA, said Monday the commitment is the largest of its type to an individual transit system in federal history. Kiepper said MARTA would have liked a commitment for the entire project “but the reality of available federal support funds for transit purposes makes this unrealistic at this time.” Kiepper said, however, he felt lift'. Debra makes Gordon her home. English student samples Gordon life The following story is reprinted from Gordon College’s student newspaper, “The Reveille”. By LAURA MELTON Among the many new faces at Gordon this quarter, is that of Debra Galletly, an 18-year-old native of Middlesex, England. Debra came to the States about a year ago to visit friends in Washington, D. C. and to see some of our country. Her mother had received a job in Griffin as governess to a family so Debra came to Griffin to stay with her. As Debra feels nursing is her calling, she began looking at various nursing programs in the surrounding area, and she felt Gordon had the most to offer in her field of study. Planning to begin Gordon’s nursing program in September, she is taking necessary courses to fulfill the obligations of this program. The hardest thing for Debra to adjust to is our American food. She despises ice tea; however, she has hot tea with milk every afternoon at 4, which is an old English custom. It is also difficult for her to become accustomed to all the cars here in the States as every Englishman does not have a car. She catches herself quite often driving down the left hand side of the road, an English law. The vast majority of automobiles driven in England are Capris, Fiats and other small European-made cars. “The average American car,” Debra says, “would be too wide for the English roads, for it would take up the whole road instead of one side.” Another different facet of English life is that of public that “the mood” of the Congress and the people fa vored public transportation over private cars and would mean additional federal funding when needed. The commitment came in a letter from Frank C. Herringer, Urban Mass Transit adminis trator. John Wright, MARTA board chairman, said the federal action means the authority can proceed with its construction program free of uncertainty on funds. MARTA had previously re ceived almost S2OO million for transportation to and from school. Debra rode a train and bus to school daily, but she also says people walk more there. The Educational System in England is much more techni cally oriented than the American. The average English student graduates from secondary school at 16. He then goes to work or a technical school, as not everyone may attend college. Debra said most of her friends started work when they were 16. It is also hard to find a job there now. Debra finds herself not dressing as heavily because of the differences in climate between Georgia and Eng land. She said a friend had just colder in England and gets foggy. She said a friend had just written her that there is snow on the ground now. Hoping for good health here in the States, Debra discussed socialized medicine which is practiced in England. All medical bills are paid by the government, which also trains the doctors and nurses. Prescriptions do not vary in price, as all drugs have the same set price. If 18 or older you have to pay dental bills, otherwise they are free. Debra participates in netball, which is similar to our game of basketball, and has a yellow belt in Judo. She also likes camping, site seeing and playing the guitar and piano. Debra is an active member of St. George’s Episcopal Church in Griffin where she is a member of the choir. “Dorm life is enjoyable but noisy,” Debra says. “I like Gordon where the faculty and administration are extremely nice and helpful and the students are very friendly,” said our student with an English accent. Page 3 — Griffin Daily News Tuesday, April 22, 1975 ; R ,'v kA. Rusk testifies WASHINGTON—Former Secretary of State Dean Rusk leaves after testifying before the Presidential panel, headed by Vice President Nelson Rockefeller, which is investigating the CIA. Rusk refused to comment on his i. testimony. (UPI) the project which includes both bus and rail transportation. PATENT PARADE WASHINGTON, D.C. (UPI) — In 1974 more than 104,000 patent applications were filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. More than 70,000 patents were granted, each of which involved some thing that was new, useful and unobvious over what was previously known, according to Intellectual Property Owners, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of our free enterprise and present patent systems. News summary By United Press International Troops may be needed WASHINGTON (UPI) — If Americans must be evacuated from South Vietnam under combat conditions President Ford says American troops would be needed. In an interview Monday with CBS News, the President said the Vietnamese and their families— estimated up to 200,000 persons —who sided with the United States, also would be removed. He held out little hope a ceasefire could be arranged and a peace negotiated with the Communists. He also said he could understand the feelings of Thieu, who blamed the United States for military setbacks as he resigned. Runway closed SAIGON (UPI) — One of two runways at Bien Hoa Air Base, 14 miles northeast of Saigon, was closed today because of bombardment by North Vietnamese gunners, using longrange 130 mm field guns. Communist infantry | assaulted the district capital of Ben Luc, 16 miles southwest of the capital city. The Communists ignored the resignation of President Nguyen Van Thieu and continued their advance on Saigon. U.S. Air Force transport planes evacuated hundreds of Americans from South Vietnam, speeding up the airlift as Communist forces tightened their ring around the city. Resumes broadcasting Radio Phnom Penh resumed broadcasting for the first time since Thursday and Khieu Samphan, deputy prime minister of the new government, spoke for 15 minutes. He said his Khmer Rouge regime would follow a policy of neutrality and nonalignment. Samphan gave no details of what has happened in Phnom Penh since the takeover of the capital. However, in an earlier broadcast Information Minister Hou Nim said guerrillas were still fighting in the provinces to put down the last pockets of resistance. 1,000 families flee The Grand and Red rivers overflowed their banks and forced 1,000 families from their homes in Lansing, Mich. Damage was estimated at SSO million, but there were no deaths or injuries. In Minnesota and North Dakota, the Red River climbed toward its crest, spilling over into lowlands of the Red River Valley. The river was expected to crest at 28 feet today at Fargo, N.D, and 34.5 feet at Halstad, Minn., but no major flood problems were expected at either place. Flying machine ST. JOHNS, MICH. (UPI) — Edward Ernst, a retired automotive, wood and plastic model maker, who has never had a flying lesson, is building a man-powered flying machine. His contraption is a tubular metal frame on four bicycle wheels with two propellers up front. If it works he may win a $120,000 prize offered by a British businessman in 1959. Ernst has been working on his machine for 14 years. Trip is off again WASHINGTON (UPI) — An on-again, off-again trip to South America, is off again. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger, in a statement released Monday night, said President Ford had asked him to stay in Washington because of the speed with which events are unfolding in Indochina. In his statement Kissinger said he looked forward to working with his colleagues at the OAS general assembly in "Washington next month. More trouble LAS VEGAS, Nev. (UPI) - Two small dogs digging for buried bones found $30,000 in counterfeit money instead, lead ing to more trouble for Robert Schwing. The Secret Service said the two dogs dug up a plastic garbage bag filled with 1,500 counterfeit S2O bills in the yard of a neighbor of Schwing’s. The dogs had dragged it for 25 feet when a teen-age boy discovered it. Secret Service agents arrest ed Schwing when he returned from Florida, where he had been saying goodbye to rela tives before returning here to begin a one year term for counterfeiting. Another counter feiting charge was brought against him Monday.